President tweets that Apple needs to ‘step up to the plate’ for law enforcement

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US President Donald Trump speaks alongside Apple CEO Tim Cook (L) during the first meeting of the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, DC, March 6, 2019. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)

President Donald Trump has slammed Apple over what he said is the company’s refusal to unlock the iPhones of “violent criminal elements” in order to help law enforcement officials in cases such as the December shooting at a naval base in Florida.

In a tweet late Tuesday, Trump said Apple needs to do more to assist police and other law enforcement officers as a part of a broader issue of helping out the entire country. Trump also cited his administration’s efforts to assist Apple on business matters.

“We are helping Apple all of the time on TRADE and so many other issues, and yet they refuse to unlock iphones used by killers, drug dealers, and other violent criminal elements,” Trump tweeted. “They will have to step up to the plate and help our great Country, NOW! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.”

We are helping Apple all of the time on TRADE and so many other issues, and yet they refuse to unlock phones used by killers, drug dealers and other violent criminal elements. They will have to step up to the plate and help our great Country, NOW! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.

Trump didn’t directly mention the December shooting at Naval Air Station Pensacola, in which three U.S. sailors were killed when a Saudi Arabian air force member who was training at the facility went into a building and shot several people before being killed by law enforcement officials. However, Apple has been caught up in the Justice Department’s investigation of the case for more than a week.

However, Apple issued a statement saying it provided information as part of the FBI’s investigation “within hours” of receiving its first request on Dec. 6, and was still helping with the case.

“We reject the characterization that Apple has not provided substantive assistance in the Pensacola investigation,” Apple said, in a statement given to this news organization. “Our responses to their many requests since the attack have been timely, thorough and are ongoing.”

Rex Crum is the senior web editor for the business section for The Mercury News and Bay Area News Group. He also writes about business and technology for the publications' print and web editions, and has covered business and technology for nearly two decades. A native of Seattle, he remains a diehard Seahawks and Mariners fan and is imparting his fandom to his Oakland-native wife and two young daughters.

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